Gallop soothes concern over player pilfering

National Rugby League chief executive David Gallop says a plan to develop and gain access to the best rural players is not a case of "stripping" country areas of talent.

Gallop yesterday announced the NRL would investigate linking its clubs with rural areas, gaining access to their best players in return for development support.

"The concept is that they get a geographical area to do development work in and get priority over talent you get out of that area," he said after the two-day NRL annual conference concluded in Sydney yesterday. "But we've got a bit to go with that one, we need to talk to the state leagues and the country rugby leagues and look at the impact on their administration and competition."

However, Gallop said it wasn't a plan to gut the country leagues.

"I think they [country leagues] appreciate development work in their areas," he said. "The more development work the better, but we need to be careful it's not interfering with what they are doing and what their current structure is. We have to be careful we are not duplicating what already might be done or hampering what has already been done."

Gallop said NRL clubs would have to meet standards of investment and support for the areas.

"In return, those clubs would have first option on an agreed number of elite players from that area," he said. "The concept would see clubs assigned rural areas in which they have a responsibility to work with local leagues and governing bodies to promote the game in those areas. Whether clubs are in a position to invest to the levels you would need and whether it can be done in a way that doesn't conflict with existing competitions and administrations in those areas has to be canvassed.

"Clubs already face issues with investing in their own junior areas, given the poker-machine taxes, but there's a willingness to see a more organised way of supporting regional areas and the development paths offered to young athletes."

Gallop stressed that the proposal was in the early stages and would not be advanced without extensive consultation.

He said further discussions would be held with the ARL, NSWRL, CRL, QRL and RLPA regarding tied development areas.

In other news from the conference, the NRL has ruled out salary cap changes for next season - but not for 2005.

Gallop said the salary cap would remain at $3.25 million per team next year, due to concerns over the effect of a new NSW poker-machine tax. He said the NRL would conduct a thorough examination of salary cap issues in the first part of 2004 but there was no suggestion of a change next season. However, Gallop said the NRL was "still looking" at changes for 2005. "But there is a concern we need to be in a position for the clubs to be able to afford an increase," he said. "And there's a bit of nervousness about that at the moment.

"It wouldn't be a huge increase if there was to be an increase. It's difficult at the moment because there is some uncertainty about just how big an impact the tax will have."

And Gallop also said the NRL was not worried about the Rugby World Cup's recent success leading into the 2004 season.

"We are into it 365 days a year every year, and their event is over now," he said. "Obviously it was a great event but we are just looking forward to getting into the week in, week out intensity of rugby league.

"There's a good level of harmony in our game at the moment and everyone is eagerly anticipating 2004."